Johannesburg - To get to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) – as a spectator – the best option is to walk from Federation Square, the central point in the city, next to Flinders Street station.
The walk isn’t a long one, just over a kilometre and there are eateries along the route shortly after you leave Fed Square. The Yarra River is to the right. It’s not taxing, there are no uphills and the large stadium looms in front of you growing ever bigger.
You cross the MCG footbridge that takes you over the railway lines, with Melbourne Park and the outer courts used for the Australian Open below and looking further in the distance there is
AAMI Park, home of the Melbourne Rebels rugby union team.
The ‘G’ greets you. It is enormous, even from the outside and is surrounded by 16 statues honouring various Australian sports stars, including cricketers Don Bradman, Bill Ponsford, Keith Miller, Dennis Lillee, Neil Harvery and, of course, Shane Warne.
A bit of footvolley to get the blood flowing ahead of practice at the MCG ⚽️#AUSvSA #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/j7DMBIvYL8
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) December 23, 2022
The legendary leg-spinner also had what was formerly known as The Great Southern Stand renamed for him after his death earlier this year.
Day one of the second Test between South Africa and Australia – Boxing Day, formerly the Day of Reconciliation here in SA – will be dedicated to Warne. Players from both teams will wear the wide brim white hat preferred by the great bowler, setting aside, temporarily, their respective ‘baggy green’ caps.
There will be special video tributes dedicated to Warne, showing some of his highlights, which include an Ashes hat-trick and his 700th Test wicket which were taken at his home ground.
It’s been 14 years since the Proteas last played at one of the sport’s most iconic venues. Back in 2008, the Proteas made history there by winning the second Test of that series and claiming South Africa’s first Test series victory in Australia.
A Boxing Day Test at the MCG is more than a cricket match Down Under.
Touchdown Melbourne 📍#AUSvSA #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/7v7wwuZ443
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) December 22, 2022
It is an event that holds a special place on the sporting calendar in that country and for the South African players, none of whom have experienced one, it will be a moment – especially on the first day when 90 000 people are expected to attend – that will be a career highlight.
Of course, the Proteas there will have a very important job to do amidst all the pomp and ceremony. The butterflies that will inevitably be flying around in their stomachs need to be quickly settled.
Following the harrowing defeat in the first Test on a poorly prepared pitch in Brisbane, the onus will once more be on the visiting team’s batters to find a way to score runs on what many hope will be a less spicy MCG track.
The pitch at the MCG is a ‘drop-in’ – in other words, it is grown outside the ground at what is called a portable pitch production centre, and then transported into the stadium on what is basically an enormous trolley.
Cricket Australia is paying close attention to its preparation given that last season the pitch was criticised after the Ashes Test at the MCG lasted just three days, while the Gabba’s poor rating has also put everyone on notice.
@shockerhess